Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

This matter has been dealt with on a number of occasions by the Minister for Education and Skills in responding to questions. The Deputy is aware that a cap of 10,575 posts was placed on the number of special needs assistants in 2010. The current number is 10,800, which means there must be a reduction in the number of special needs assistants, although overall there will be more SNA staff than ever before.

The Minister for Education and Skills has been very careful in his response to the Private Members' business, which is being discussed. In fact, the Minister has held back over 400 positions to deal with situations such as those mentioned by the Deputy. I invited Deputy Ó Snodaigh to send me details of a particular case, which appeared to me to be worthy of the services of a special needs assistant. I do not know the details of the cases raised by Deputy McGrath but I invite him to send them to me. The reason the Minister for Education and Skills held a number of these posts was that every school that requires it would have contact and access to a special needs assistant. If there are unfortunate circumstances, or particularly bad cases, there is a mechanism to deal with them. I gave the Deputy some examples of where SNAs were appointed regarding children with particular behaviours which in many cases might not warrant a full-time SNA.

The priorities of the NCSE were to ensure that the minimum SNA to special class ratio was maintained, that there would be support for children who are incontinent, and that children who qualify for full day cover would be assured of receiving it. The deferral of some of those positions was to deal with cases that are in need of the services of a special needs assistant. I invite the Deputy to send the details to me or to the Minister for Education and Skills and they will be looked at in the context of these criteria.

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